Flash-light compound



y in OR 528.515

UNITED'FSTATES PATENT. OFFICE.

ALEXANDER HENSLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLASH-LIGHT COMPOUND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 528,515, dated October 30, 1894. Application filed May 3, 1894, Serial No: 509,888. (No specimens.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER IIENsLEY, a c1t1zen of the United States, residing at the city oi Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelph1a and State of Pennsylvania, have in-' dangeliof .explosion byfriction orconcussiong and at the same time such a compound or admixture as will readily ignite.

My invention consists inmixing amorphous phosphorus anitrate or nitrates of the metals or alkaline earths with aluminum to produce a compound or admixture adapted by ignii i i tion to give a flash or sunlight flame of such intensity as to efiect an instantaneous photographic action upon a sensitized film or su r'- face. v In orderv that my invention may be fully' understood by those' skilled in the art to which it appertains, I'will'now proceed to describe more particularlythe characteristic features of the compound or admixtureand. the results in practice obtained from the use thereof. 7

In carrying my invention into effect the following formula may be used for the preparation of the compound or admixture with excellentresults. a I f Itake sayseventy-five (75) parts by weight,

more or less, ofa nitratenor nitrates, such-as barium, strontium, potassium, sodium, lead,

&.;eitlier alone or a mixthre'o'f tw'd or more of them and ten (10) parts by weight, more or less, of amorphous phosphorus or the like and fifteen parts by weight, more or l less, of aluminum in a granular form orin an impalpable powder and these materials are mixed together either in a dry or in a wet state by the use of a solvent, such as water, alcohol, &c.

The materials composing the compound when mechanically mixed together in a wet state in a suitable appliance may be compressed into pastils, pellets or the like so as to permit of their asunlight flame or a flameot such incandescence as to be adapted for instantaneou photographic flash light work.

It may, however, be here remarked, that. my invention materials in either. the form of a powder in which form it ismoregenerally used, owing to the convenience thereof and ready applipastils, pellets, pills or the like for such use.

The amorphous phosphorus is employed in the compound to promote rapid ignition and complete combustion.

ignition and production of 5 5 covers the use of the aforesaid 6o cation-of the same-tothe intended' purpose;

yet nevertheless it may be used in the form of In the use of amorphous phosphorus as an element ot the compound of my invention, as practice has demonstrated, the smoke resulting from the ignition of the same, is reduced to a. minimum. Moreover, the amorphous.

phosphorus in the admixtureor combination with a nitrate or nitrates .of the metals or alkaline earthsand with aluminum is highly preferable to the use of'the same with the .chlorates or. substances-capable of yielding "the reason that'it liberatesthe I oxygen gas with rapidity from thenitrate or oxygen,"for

nitrates and thus furnishes a copioussnpply. of the same, which '5 essentially requisite for permitting of the ignition of the metallic aluminum in an impalpa'ble powder 'or ma 1 granular form, aud which latter substance forms an essential element of the admixture or compound ct my presentinvent om because as experience has 'sdemonfstratedfithe resultant oxid therefrom is brought toa high state of incandescence or gives 'asunlightf i the production in chemical fiameadapted especially for of a continuous spectrum rich rays or vibrations having the power of in stantly effecting a photographic action of an phous phosphorus, substantially as and for object upon a sensitized surface under the the purposes set forth.

influence of an exposure thereto. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set Having thus described the natu re and obmy signature in the presence of two subscrib- 5 jects of my invention, what I claim as new, ing Witnesses, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is ALEXANDER HENSLEY. A compound for producing a flash light, Witnesses: composed of aluminum, a nitrate or nitrates THOMAS H. SMITH,

of the meta-is or alkaline earths and amor- RICHARD O. MAXWELL. 

